News

2013-08-21

AFRICA/EGYPT - "I thank those who from all over the world express solidarity with the Egyptian people", said Mgr. Zakaria

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - "The security situation is improving, partly because some extremist leaders inciting young people to violence have been caught. We are still locked in the house, but the soldiers have brought us bread", says to Fides Agency His Exc. Mgr. Youhannes Zakaria, Coptic Catholic Bishop of Luxor who has been living locked up in the Bishopric for twenty days because of the violence that hit Egypt (see Fides 20/08/2013).
"Tomorrow, 22 August, according to the Julian calendar we will celebrate the Assumption, with a Mass to be held in the morning instead of at night, for safety reasons. The celebrations this year will be in an extremely reduced form because we have to be careful how we move. But thanks to the police and the military, we have been feeling more confident in the past few days", said the Bishop.
Mgr. Zakaria also thanked "those who from all over the world have expressed their solidarity with the Egyptian people. I received phone calls from the United States, a Bishop called me from Germany. They all said they listened to Pope Francis’ appeal to pray for peace for Egypt. This solidarity has moved me".
"All the Egyptian people who are suffering, Muslims and Christians are united in suffering the violence of extremists. So I ask everyone to continue to pray for Egypt", concluded Mgr. Zakaria. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/08/2013)